


The Sky Is Connected

by lilmaeval



Category: Ensemble Stars! (Video Game)
Genre: Communication, ES!! Timeline, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-24
Updated: 2020-06-24
Packaged: 2021-03-03 19:33:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,073
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24900874
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lilmaeval/pseuds/lilmaeval
Summary: In the middle of the early morning, Shu finds himself awake for seemingly no reason at all. Also for no reason, he finds himself trying to make an international phone call and makes a mistake the first word in.
Relationships: Itsuki Shuu/Kagehira Mika, Mikashu, shumika - Relationship
Comments: 10
Kudos: 93





	The Sky Is Connected

It was almost quiet, for once. Quiet as it could be inside the tiny Paris apartment, with the windows shut and the front door locked. At the very least, the neighbors were all certainly either still or asleep, and the traffic outside had calmed enough that, to most people, even the slightest verve of an engine wouldn’t have any mind paid to it. All except for him, Shu Itsuki, whose senses seemed to latch onto anything it could at that moment. Annoying things as well, such as the slight creaking of his floorboards below as he shifted his weight on his bed, or the blinding light of his alarm clock that cast its red shade across the room, cutting through the darkness and smearing it in red.

What time was it even? The only guess he could make without forcing himself to brace his eyes and check the clock next to his bedside was that it was still likely before dawn. He felt safe in that bet, at least, as his body certainly didn’t feel like it had received a proper eight hours of sleep. Shu’s gaze was fixed on the ceiling above, lost in the lines of the stucco and creating shapes or faces as he went. As he did so, he weighed the pros and cons about the mysterious hour he found himself awake in.

If it was anywhere before three AM, he could safely make an attempt at going back to bed with the knowledge that his alarm wouldn’t be set off for another four hours at least. If it was after four AM, he could force himself to rise early, get some tea and make an elaborate croissant platter to waste the time. If it was between the two hours, he wouldn’t know what to do; sleep or rise, the day would feel longer than most. He wished the red stain on his wall was not so blurry, so that he could read the time from the more comfortable on the eyes light. Regardless, they were adjusting with each second, and so he had no choice but to just bear with the brief pain to stare at the clock. After a forceful turn in his bed, he found the source of his disdain not too difficult to stare at after all.

3:02. It was just the beginning of the dreaded mysterious hour that he had no idea what to do with. Shu’s fingers bunched up the satin sheets below as his head buried itself in his pillow, a low guttural moan escaping his throat that sang of his early morning lament. What on earth was wrong with him? Why did he have to find himself waking up at mysterious hours for no discernible reason? Why had this happened in the first place.

Don’t think.  _ Stop thinking! _ Shu commanded the words as he rolled onto his back once more and gritted his teeth. He then pulled his duvet up and over his head, attempting to smother himself in the downy softness. Could he not simply pass out regardless of the hour? His head was spinning and lost, and all he wanted was for the lost ambient noises of the outside world to cease and be replaced with the memories trapped inside his mind.

A voice reached out and spoke words that stuck like a magnet to his brain. A promise made not too long ago by the most important person in his life, the one who saved his soul when he was at his lowest. A promise to always answer the phone whenever Shu called them, no matter what time of day it was or what they were doing. It was a stupid vow, a thought he made known to the person who came up with it. He wouldn’t dare inconvenience that person when they were so busy keeping their dream and world alive.

Despite his internal protests, Shu nonetheless found himself calculating the time difference. It would be 10 AM in Japan, meaning that they would at least be awake, although what they were doing he could not entirely know. It was Friday, not quite the weekend, and so that could mean they were either attending classes or doing an odd job. He had less of an idea about their schedule since he wasn’t there to constantly ask about it. That thought alone was infuriating, and the final straw Shu needed to break before ripping his phone violently off of its charger and bringing it up to his face. He then remembered he needed to actually place the call first, so after unlocking his phone he clumsily navigated to the contacts menu and selected the name of that person.

One ring, no response. Two rings, no response. At three, Shu let out the breath he had been holding in, feeling like an impulsive idiot who made a call in the middle of the night for no reason at all. Awaiting the fourth ring, he was instead met with a change in the audio quality. Shu knitted his brow until the voice on the other line spoke and sent his heart into a frienzied pace.

“Oshi-san?” The voice echoed through the received and a wave of nostalgia washed over Shu as he heard himself be referred to by that dreaded nickname. His body was completely still, unable to respond. “Oshi-san...? Are ya there? Ain’t it way early for ya?” He still couldn’t open his mouth. “Nn...maybe he dialed it in his sleep...Kinda weird but not totally outta the ordinary for ‘im.”

“...Mika,” the word left Shu without being processed. That was the name of the person on the other line, the one he had picked out to be in his unit and the one he called his partner. That name, however, was not what he usually referred to him as, and he recognized his language only when he heard the sharp gasp on the other line.

“O-Oshi-san?!” The voice wore its shock gratingly, waking the last amount of sleep in Shu’s body. He’d made a horrible mistake. “Are ya dyin’ or somethin’? Y-Ya jus’ called me by m’ first name, an’ it’s gotta be super early for ya too, right?”

“...Kagehira,” Shu corrected himself as he sat up, regaining control, “I should be directing your concerns about the time back to you. Are you not in attendance to your classes today? I thought I told you there’s no need to pick up a call from me if you’re too busy to do so at the time.”

There was silence on the other line, and if it had been anyone else, Shu would have expected to have been hung up upon by now. Kagehira was not one of those people who would.

“Erm,” Kagehira grunted in audible confusion, a trait of his that was an endearingly poor quality; it could be taken advantage of by most anyone, “okay, so yer probably not dyin’. But uh, yer not makin’ any sense either. Why’re ya callin’ me if yer not expectin’ me t’pick up?”

“It’s not that,” Shu corrected after a brief pause, eyes wandering in the direction of the closed blinds on his windows that kept the light of the city out, “I didn’t need you to pick up. It was just something I felt compelled to do, to try and see if it would placate whatever it is that’s keeping me up right now.”

“Nn, is that right?” A shifting sound was heard, followed by the steady mix of their breathing into the receiver. “D’ya wanna tell me what’s keepin’ ya up then? I got time, mornin’ break jus’ started.” Ah, so that had been the reason why he answered. Shu thought about apologizing, but changed his mind and figured it would be best to continue with the conversation lest he waste time and left things unfinished.

“I can’t really say myself,” Shu answered as he curled his knees up to his chest, “I simply found my eyes opening on their own and unable to shut. Then I looked at the time, asked myself why was I awake, and the next thing I knew I was calling you.”

“Yer bein’ serious...?” Kagehira’s voice trailed off and the little hitches in his breath stung Shu’s ear. His partner could sound so majestic and regal when he sang, and yet would default to making those undignified hums from the back of his throat. Shu wouldn’t nearly be as aggravated by them if he didn’t find them so painfully adorable.

“Yes,” Shu admitted, “I’m sorry to say I have no reason to be calling you right now, and I hope I haven’t taken you away from any plans you had on your break.”

“No, ya didn’t,” Kagehira reassured, voice gradually growing quieter, “but um...If that’s really the case, then could ya tell me why ya said m‘ name?”

Shu didn’t want to answer, so he stayed quiet for a little longer. The voice on the other line remained silent as well, challenging him. Eventually, the victor won out.

“I don’t know,” Shu answered truthfully, “I wish I could say I had a reason, but I don’t. I heard your voice and felt myself saying it before I could even process that I was speaking at all.” The answer was followed by silence once more, but the uneven rhythm of their breaths told him Kagehira was still on the other line and could hear him still.

“I’ve always wanted to hear ya say it, y’know,” Kagehira eventually spoke up, and Shu wondered if he was being optimistic about hearing a smile in his words. “M’ name, I mean. I liked it when you said it, even if ya sounded a little scary.”

“Scary?” Shu questioned.

“I mean, like, I though ya might be dyin’!” Kagehira exclaimed.

“I wasn’t dying,” Shu corrected, “I had just woken up. In any case, this is the first I’m hearing of you wanting me to say your name, aren’t you uncomfortable with it?”

“...I don’t recall every sayin’ that t’ya,” Mika returned, “ya heard about that?”

“Obviously, I did,” Shu exaggerated as he attempted to cover for his past actions, “I needed to know who I was inviting into my unit. I merely asked your classmates about you and as their senior they obliged and told me what they knew. There’s nothing wrong with that.”

“I guess not,” Kagehira replied, sounding woefully unconvinced, “but I’m surprised t’learn ya never jus’ thought t’ask me about it upfront.”

“If I already had an answer, then why would I need to ask?” Shu defended, feeling himself grow heated. The early morning wasn’t good on his mind.

“I’ve always wanted ya t’call me by m’name,” Kagehira declared, a crack in his voice signalling the strain the conversation was having on his temper. “I’ve wanted that since I met ya, I don’t care if I don’t like it if it’s comin’ from ya!”

“How amusing,” Shu scoffed, “coming from someone who can’t even manage to stutter my name.” The bitterness laid in his mouth like a poison, vile and unpleasant. “I’m sorry,” he added quickly, “I’m sorry I...should not have compared the two like that. I should also not have said it with that tone, no matter how early it is, I...Kagehira, I—“

“Shu.”

The sound of his name coming from the other for the first time stopped his messy apology in its tracks. He couldn’t even register if he’d heard it right; he was too afraid that if he asked to hear again, the other would go right back to the way he was before.

“...Yer still there, right, Shu?” He said it. He said it again. “I can hear ya on the other line, yer breathin’ ‘s all uneven. Guess that’s jus’ yer way of freakin’ out too. Um...It’s like, I do have t’think t’say it, but I’ve been practicin’ sayin’ it an’ thinkin’ it too. I thought a lot about what happened at the Repayment Festival, an’ I didn’t like how I didn’t even know how yer name on m'mouth felt like. So that’s why I’ve been workin’ t’change that. I gotta admit, though, it’s probably easier fer me t’say it when yer face isn’t here.”

Unbelievable. Kagehira had gone on and matured when Shu wasn’t watching, far more than he had living on his own in an apartment away from his family and everyone else he ever knew. He really had been holding the other back this whole time, hadn’t he? His heart rate returned to a normal state and, after a far too long pause, decided it was only right to do the same for Kage—no, Mika.

“It might be the same for myself,” Shu conceded, “but I promise, if you’re willing to make that change all by yourself, then I shall endeavor it as well, Mika.”

An airy giggle escaped the voice on the other line, and Shu couldn’t help but smile despite the burning sensation on his cheeks. He could imagine the other sitting exactly the same as he was now, arm wrapped around his knees and holding the phone a little too close, as if that would bring the person on the other side within reach.

“I love ya,” Mika casually stated, “I love ya so much, Shu. I feel like that means so much more now, ‘s that weird?”

“Not entirely,” Shu colluded, slowly finding himself falling onto his side and curling up, “it does have more meaning when we refer to each other more familiarly, I believe. It makes sense for us, to share love as equals, after all, yes?” He wet his lips and held his phone in both hands. “I love you too, Mika.”

Somehow, just saying those words alone made Shu’s soul feel lighter than ever. Like he was more alive than ever, being able to express himself in an entirely new way. All thanks to Mika, of course; his muse, his shadow, and his equal. 

“Are ya feelin’ any better?” Mika asked.

“Somewhat,” Shu answered, “at the very least I feel relieved to have spoken with you about this. I didn’t even realize it was something I was all that frustrated about. I wasn’t even thinking about anything in particular when I woke up.”

“Maybe it’s me then,” Mika concluded, the sound of his body shifting on the other line, “I was thinkin’ about it while I was in class, about I wanted t’say yer name t’ya an’ surprise ya wi’ it. I guess that’s why I felt so prepped t’jus’ do it when ya brought it up.”

“Is that so?” Shu murmured, blinking a few times in succession. “You’re suggesting your thoughts were so loud I heard them all the way over here in France. Not only that, but they also convinced me to both wake up, call you, and say your name, all in a sleep-deprived haze.”

“Maybe!” Mika giggled, Shu slightly proud of at least one of his jokes landing for once. “I mean, who knows, right? The sky over you ‘s the same over me. Even if the sun’s not there yet, it’ll be there soon enough. We’re connected like that, so why can’t we share the same thoughts once in a while?”

Shu was struck silent, an experience he was having quite a lot in this conversation. It was the type of thing he should expect Mika to say, but he never did, because no matter how well he thought he knew Mika, the other had his own thoughts and perspective that Shu could never replicate. The metaphor was simple, but beautiful, and gave him a sense of peace he’d been lacking for quite some time.

“You’re right,” Shu finally commented, “that’s a perfectly reasonable assumption, but only for us and no one else. We, Mika, have a bond like no other, and that bond compels us to create, to live, and to love. We share that through our art and the world we create, the one we share and proudly proclaim. It is our Valkyrie, our wings that will carry us to heaven, my dear Mika.”

“Uwah~” Mika gushed, followed by an airy chuckle, “yer lack o’ sleep is really gettin’ t’ya, huh?”

“I am being completely genuine,” Shu denied, “we made a promise to fall to hell together should need be, but let us continue on a path towards something greater than that as our goal. Is that not more who we are?”

“Hmm,” Mika’s precious smile rang through the phone and mirrored itself on Shu’s face, “yeah, that’s definitely more Valkyrie like, ain’t it. Eh, but when ya say things like that, it keeps makin’ me think ‘that’s Oshi-san fer ya.’”

“And how is Shu any different?” Shu pointed.

“I know what yer askin’ here,” Mika whined at the jab, “but it’s nothin’ I can really explain ‘cept jus’ how I see ya. I bet ya have yer own view o’ me that changes up based on what ‘m doin’ or sayin’, right?”

It was a fair enough point; certainly, this person who was talking back to him and being a nuisance was much closer to the Kagehira he was used to. However, the picture of him that remained in Shu’s mind was that of the man who sang despite them having nearly lost everything. The one who smiled back at him and with reassurance in those gorgeous mismatched eyes of amber and lapis encouraged him to move forward. That was his Mika.

“Ya haven’t said anythin’ in awhile,” Mika mumbled, “did ya pass out?”

“Not yet,” Shu answered, his voice starting to slur slightly as it had at the beginning of the call, “I don’t know if I can.”

“How about I sing ya t’sleep then?” Mika offered, his excitement palpable. “‘M jus’ hangin’ out in the handicrafts club alone, so it won’t be a bother t’anyone here. Ya can rest easy knowin’ I’ll be goin’ t’all my classes afterwards an’ then we can call later t’night!”

“Mm,” Shu murmured, “I’d like that. Good night, Mika.”

“G’night, Shu,” Mika replied, his voice slow as he said the other’s name. After a brief pause, a familiar melody began to play, carried by Mika’s smooth and steady voice. Shu wanted to hold onto that voice and listen to it forever, and so he carried it to sleep with him where they sang in unison for eternity.

**Author's Note:**

> Uuuu hi my friends in the server I shared this with encouraged me to share this so i'm doin it, anyway twt is @nagisenpai


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